Herman miller



(No Model.)

H. MILLER Fluxing Apparatus.

No. 234,195. Patented Nov. 9,1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN MILLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLUXING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,195, dated November9, 1880.

Application filed July 27, 1580.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN MILLER, of the city of New York, county ofNew York, and State of New York, have invented an Apparatus forAutomatically Applying Flux to Metal Sheets intended to be subsequentlysoldered to form cans or other sheet-metal vessels or structures, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Heretofore when flux has been applied to the seam portions of sheets ofmetal by hand it has resulted that the flux has been frequently appliedunevenly, and in many cases the corner portions of square or rectangularsheets have, in the hands of inefficient workmen, received noappreciable amount of flux.

To obviate these difficulties is the object of my invention.

My invention consists in an inclined fluxing bed or surface, down whichthe sheet to be fluxed is to travel, provided with devices to feed andapply flux to the edges of the sheet, and with a device or devices bywhich the sheet is automatically turned or revolved in its passage uponsaid bed with the result that each edge and corner of the sheet ispresented to and fluxed by the fluxing devices.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of an apparatusconveniently embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 a vertical sidesectionalelevation of a set of the fluxing devices and sheet-feeding mechanism.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever used.

In the drawings, A represents a supporting frame-work of any fitdescription, upon which is mounted an inclined bed or way, B, down whichthe sheet or form of metal to be fluxed is caused to travel. This bed isinclined at two angles, lengthwise and sidewise. On either side the bedis bounded by ledges O, the oflice of which is to retain the sheets tobe fluxed upon the bed in their passage down the latter.

At either end the bed is provided with a series of feed-rollers, D,which are placed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bed, andare intended to support and carry the sheets, one by one, beneath thefiuxing devices.

In the sectional view, Fig. 2, will be plainly (N 0 model.)

seen the arrangement of the rollers D, of which there are, forconvenience, five in each set. These rollers are conveniently journaledin the bed in such manner that the bearing-surfaces of three of them,for instance, lie below the plane of the bed, while the surfaces of twolie above the latter.

On one side of the bed the rollers are caused to extend out, and areequipped with toothed wheels E, as also shown in Fig. 2. One of therollers, preferably the central one, is also equipped with adrive-pulley or band-wheel, F, whereby rotation is imparted to theroller in question.

Idler toothed wheels G conveniently transmit the motion of the drivenroller to the toothed wheels of the other lower rollers, while thetoothed wheels of said lower end rollers mesh with the toothed wheels ofthe upper rollers and impart to them the requisite movement.

By consulting the sectional view referred to, which shows the abovearrangement, it will be seen that revolution is imparted to all thecarrying-rollers ot' the set referred to in a direction which will feedand carry the plate, sheet, or form to be iluxed down the incline of thebed and beneath fluxingbrushes connected with such set, and describedhereinafter.

The arrangement of rollers is conveniently the same in each setemployed, and motion is conveniently imparted from one set to the otherby means of a band, I, from the driving band-w'heel F to a band-wheel,F, which is connected with one of the rollers of the lower set of thedrawings.

H are aseries of flux-applying brushes, placed in the lower extremitiesof a series of flux-applying tubes, J, which are either themselvestluX-reservoirs or are suitably connected to a fiux-reservoir or othersource of supply. These tubes are preferably hollow pipes, in the lowerextremities of which are secured the bristles which constitute theflux-applying brushes H, so that flux poured into the tubes permeatesthe brushes in the manner common to self-watering brush devices. Thetubes are adjustably secured in brush-supports K by passing throughsuitable orifices therein, and being retained at the desired height bypressure-screws or the like, 0. The brush-supports are hinged at oneend, at (I, to uprights from other portions of the frame-work, and atelaterally-proiecting blocks in line over the edges of the bed within thecompass of the ledges C, of such weight as to retnain down in thehorizontal position, (considered with respect to the bed,) and by thetension of their weight retain the brushes down in working position.These brushes are arranged singly or in series, as shown, on either sideof the bed at both ends thereof. and are in line over the seam or edgeof the sheet which it is desired to flux.

The flux-tubes being adjustable, it is obvi ous that the adjustment ofthe brushes may be adapted to the form of the sheet to be fluxed, whilethe arrangement of the hinged brush-supports is such as to keep thebrushes with an even tension down upon the seams.

in the apparatus represented provision is made for the flnxing of squaresheets, such as the bottoms or tops of petroleum or other cans, and thepresent description is directed to such apparatus; but it is here to bestated that my device is susceptible of such obvious modifications aswill adapt it for use with other forms of sheets.

A sheet, L, being fed by the operative on the incline at its upper end,the tubes being supplied with flux and the carryingrollers being inaction, is seized by the top set of rollers and carried through them andbeneath their brushes, whereby flux is applied to two sides of thesheet. As the sheet emerges from the two lowermost ot' the tirst set ofrollers it travels by gravity along the inclined bed B until at or nearthe center of the latter it encounters a stop, M, placed as represented,and is thereby revolvedorcaused toturn over upon its side, as shown infull and dotted linesin Fig. 1 of the drawings, a bulge, N, in the bed,if necessary, permitting this revolution, after which it continues todescend in its turned po sition, and in sneh position entersthe secondset of rollers and passes beneath their fluxapplying brushes, wherebytlux is applied to the two sides or seamsof the sheet which were notpreviously coated by the tirst set of brushes.

Such being the form and construction of the apparatus represented inthcdrawings,it is obvious that it may be modified to enable its actionwith other terms than square sheets, the principle of the inclined planeand ot' a partial or complete turningofasheetbeingadhered to. Severalsets of brushes and rollers and several stops may for such purpose beembodied in the inclined bed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a tnachine forautomatically applying flux to forms of metal,au inclined bed providedwith devices to apply flux to the form of metal as the form is caused totravel down the bed.

.2. In a tnachine for automatically applying flux to forms of metal, aninclined bed provided with devices to applyflux to portions ofa form ofmetal as the same is caused to travel down the bed, and also providedwith devices to cause the partial or complete revolution or turning ofthe form in its descent, so as to cause it to suecessively present itsunfluxed portions to the flux-applying devices which are located belowsaid turning device.

3. In an apparatus for automatically applying flux to forms of metal, aninclined fluxingbed provided at each extremity with devices to applyflux to portions of a sheet or form of metal, and with means to feedsaid sheet or form to the tluxing devices, and also provided between thefeeding and fluxing devices with a stop or kindred device, whereby thesheetor form is automatically turned or revolved upon the bed in suchmanner as to successively present its untiuxed edges to theflux-applying devices which are located below said stop.

4. In a machine for automatically applying flux to forms of metal, aninclined fluxing-bed provided upon its surface with one or more stops orkindred devices, whereby in its passage down the bed the form of metalis automatically turned or revolved.

5. la a tlux apparatus, in combination with carrying-rollers l),operated as described, the flux-applying brushes H, as and for thepurpose specified.

ii. In combination with the hinged brushsnpports K. the flux'supplyingtubes J, adapted to receive and contain flux and supply the same tobrushes connected therewith.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed [00 my natne this 24th dayof July, A. I). 1880.

HERMAN MILLER.

In presence ot' WM. S. BEAMAN, s. l. SULLIVAN.

